TOKYO: General Matthew Ridgway, United Nations Supreme Commander, was expected to say “yes” to Communist cease-fire proposals very soon though he had still not issued a formal answer by midnight… . His advisers were understood to be still conferring with Washington on details of the fourth move towards halting the three-year-old Korean fighting. Yesterday [July 1] the Communists suggested a cease-fire conference at the bomb-levelled town of Kaesong in the only Communist-held territory south of the 38th Parallel.

General Ridgway … nine days ago had suggested a meeting in the Danish hospital ship Jutlandia at Wonsan harbour, 90 miles north of the Parallel. The general impression … was that Kaesong would be acceptable as a meeting place.

The chief difficulties would be communications and ensuring the area was clear of mines. Kaesong razed to the ground in the … battles along the Parallel was almost the first town captured by the Communists when they swept south a year and a week ago. [UN] officers … made a close study of the wording of the Communist reply to General Ridgway’s cease-fire broadcasts. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2026